For this post, iHof and CrankCast have indulged in the oracular folly of predicting the course of the most powerful man in the world during the latter half of his second term as President of the United States.
As Bush inexorably approaches his lame duck phase, the end of what can appropriately be called the “Bushie” years leaves me wondering how Bush and his cronies will define the last months of the Big Hat’s rule presidency. I think much of Bush’s time between now and January 20th, 2009 will be occupied by a suddenly vitalized Congress attempting to reign in a President, and Vice President, who have done a huge amount to redefine the roles, responsibilities, and regency of the Office of the President, but, as they themselves will say, “only history can judge.“
The administration has been reduced to some “creative” tactics. Like Cheney‘s staff claiming that the Office of the Vice President is not part of the executive branch because of his role as leader of the Senate only to have Democrats try to retaliate by cutting the Office of the Vice President’s out of the executive funding bill to which the Vice President responded by scuttling back to the White House.
I do no think these remaining months will be a time of political impotency for Bush. He has only started the hallowed tradition of pardon game. His greatest threat is the growing Republican Congressional opposition to his Iraq war. Encouraging critics to wait to pass judgment on a war that, he says,has yet to have time to succeed, I foresee Bush getting bogged down in protecting the corner stone of his presidency – The War on Terror. Congress looks to disassemble the secrecy and return the troops while Bush asks not to “let fatigue dictate our policies.” The castration of his war and his augmented war-making abilities will be the greatest threat to Bush’s legacy.
